John Hayward: Hells No

"I lean more toward the Palin prescription"
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In a Human Events opinion piece, John Hayward says Congress' “debt ceiling” is a lie if they keep raising it:

Back in March, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida penned a Wall Street Journal op-ed in which he said he would “vote to defeat an increase in the debt limit, unless it is the last one we ever authorize, and is accompanied by a plan for fundamental tax reform, an overhaul of our regulatory structure, a cut to discretionary spending, a balanced budget amendment, and reforms to save Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.”

On Friday, Sarah Palin said on Fox News, “Hells no, I would not vote to increase that debt ceiling. Otherwise it just shows the American people we’re not serious yet. We’re still going to incur more debt. No and we don’t have to increase the debt ceiling in the next few weeks. It turns my stomach to hear this assumption articulated that ‘well we have to,’ despite the fact we’re raking in, the federal government, six billion a day. Take that money and service our debt first and pay down some of that debt. Make sure that we’re showing the international financial markets and our lenders that we’re serious about getting our debt and our deficit problems under control.”

“Hells no” is an interesting turn of phrase. Dante said there was more than one hell – nine of them, to be exact. The ninth and worst hell was reserved for traitors. They spent eternity frozen in ice.

There’s increasing talk of demanding hard spending caps and a balanced budget amendment, in exchange for one last debt ceiling increase, as Marco Rubio proposed. I respect the arguments made by advocates of this approach, and it seems in line with the way Washington works – deals must be struck, compromises reached, and so forth. I lean more toward the Palin prescription, though… and really, aren’t she and Rubio saying essentially the same thing?

Take away Palin’s churning stomach and invocation of the infernal, and swap in Rubio’s list of demands that Congress will never meet, and you end up in the same place: the hells of no. If Rubio is serious about his terms, he’s just one disappointing Senate vote away from standing on Palin’s ground.

[More]

Related: Mark Steyn, Hitting the Real Debt Ceiling

- JP

The American Pundit: Now Charlie Crist Flip-Flops on Sarah Palin

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Stephan Tawney at The American Pundit makes the observation that the desperation of worthless weasel "Sorry Charlie" Crist, who trails a surging Marco Rubio in the polls by double digits, is not a pretty sight:

The likes of Sarah Palin are too extreme, we’re told by a guy who said he was “impressed” with her and thought she’d make a great president just two years ago. He also said she is “bright”, “impressive”, and ready to be commander-in-chief should something have happened to McCain. “She’d do a great job,” as vice president, Crist told CNN.

Palin hasn’t changed since 2008 but Charlie Crist’s political ambitions — and his party registration — have.

Conservative Floridians obviously find Rubio much preferable to Crist, the mother of all Vichy Republicans. So he's reaching out to Democrats and left-leaning independents. What else is the governor who lost his spine to do? Other than bash Gov. Palin and other good Reagan conservatives as "too extreme," that is.

- JP

Palin, Steele, Rubio rally GOP faithful in Orlando

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Sarah Palin told a fired-up crowd of 2,000 Florida Republicans that the financial future and personal freedom of Americans depend on the GOP faithful turning out the vote for conservative candidates across the nation in ten days. Bill Cotterell of the Florida Capital Bureau reports:

"Winning means that we secure our nation, we secure our free markets, we secure our freedoms," Palin shouted to about 2,000 flag-waving, chanting supporters at a convention center near Walt Disney World.

The former Alaska governor was the featured speaker at a two-hour pep rally the Republican National Committee dubbed "Sprint to the Finish," boosting the candidacies of GOP nominees for the U.S. Senate, governor, state Cabinet seats and the U.S. House. RNC Chairman Michael Steele and state GOP Chairman John Thrasher said four Florida districts -- three of them in conservative Central Florida -- are key to the party's prospects of winning control of Congress on Nov. 2.

The GOP needs 10 Senate seats and 39 in the House to take over Congress. Rally participants, who paid $25 a ticket to hear Palin and a succession of top state party leaders, waved signs emblazoned "Fire Pelosi," a reference to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

[...]

Palin made a strong pitch for Florida GOP nominees and predicted the party would prevail, at the state and national levels. But she said everything depends on "our ground game in the next 10 days."

Joining Gov. Palin and chairman Steele at the rally was Marco Rubio, who leads in the race for the U.S. Senate against Democrat Kendrick Meek and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who dropped out of the Republican primary after it become clear that he wouldn't be the winner. Crist is running as an independent in the general election:

Rubio said to cheers that he would work to repeal health care reform and would have voted against stimulus money.

"This election is about turning out and voting," Rubio said. "This is all it's about right now."

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele thanked Tea Party supporters for their contributions to the Republican Party.

"They restored our faith in the Constitution," Steele said.

The RNC chairman and Gov. Palin both criticized incumbent U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, the Democrat congressman who has been accused of getting a third-party candidate to run in his race under the "Tea Party" label in an attempt to siphon votes from Daniel Webster, his Republican challenger. The 2008 vice presidential candidate referred to Grayson as a "jackwagon," military slang for a useless person or piece of equipment.

Update: CNN also covered the rally here. The Orlando Sentinel's story is here. The Pensacola News Journal's report is here.

- JP

New Rubio Ad: 'Things Change'

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Rubio's campaign uses Charlie's own words against him:



Hmmm. Does Crist remind anyone of another politician, one with an "R" after his name?

h/t: Jennifer Caballero

- JP

Mrco Rubio to join Gov. Palin and Chairman Steele at Florida rally

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According to Politico's Andy Barr, Florida U.S. Senate nominee Marco Rubio (R) will appear with Sarah Palin and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele at an RNC fundraising rally Saturday.

Tickets for the rally at the Orlando World Center Marriott start at just $20.10 and range in price up to $127.25, but attendees who ante up $950 for their tickets get to meet Gov. Palin.

- JP

Will Sarah Palin visit Palm Beach in the fall?

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Will Sarah Palin visit West Palm Beach a couple of weeks before the November midterm elections? That's what she was allegedly overheard saying to Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy when the two met at the Belmont Stakes Saturday, according to Palm Beach Post gossip columnist Jose Lambiet.

This rumor is sure to shift the punditocracy into overdrive. Speculation on an endorsement and some stumping for Marco Rubio in 5... 4... 3... 2... Or, the governor may be going to southeast Florida to campaign for Allen West, whom she's already endorsed. The 22nd Congressional District, after all, winds around West Palm. But then again, she may just be looking forward to soaking up some sun for a few days while things are frozen over in Alaska.

- JP

Sorry, Charlie.Sarah Hearts Marco

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If the results of the latest Rasmussen poll ( Rubio 58 percent, Crist 28 percent) aren't enough to make Florida's governor cry, Sarah Palin's response to a question shouted while she was signing autographs in New Orleans may bring on the tears of a clown.

Sorry, Charlie-The-Tanned-Tuna... Sarah says she loves Marco, and she even appears to be willing to campaign for him, telling the conservative challenger in a very animated way, "Call me":



Exit question (as Allah-The-Palin-Piqued-Pundit says): Is this a real endorsement?

- JP

Rubio: A Sarah Palin endorsement would be welcome

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In a weekend interview with the Wall Street Journal's Collin Levy, Marco Rubio said that he would welcome an endorsement from Sarah Palin:

He's never met Ms. Palin but admires her political style: "I think she brings a level of real-life everyday sentiment that people identify with... I think she energizes people."

Among both supporters and skeptics in the GOP, there's a sense that the two, along with Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, are among the party's leaders of the future—and also a sense that after the Bush interregnum the fundamental soul of the GOP is Reaganite after all. Money has also begun pouring in to help level the playing field against the well-funded governor.

Mr. Rubio says that a Sarah Palin endorsement would be welcome and "a positive" at this point.

Rubio, the former Speaker of Florida's House, is challenging Gov. Charlie Crist in the Republican primary to fill the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Mel Martinez.

Read the full interview here.

- JP

Rubio and Palin have a lot in common, his spokesman says

On November 10, we passed along the news that Marco Rubio would welcome an endorsement by Sarah Palin in his primary race with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for the seat in the U.S. Senate being vacated by mel Martinez. On Nov. 18, we reported on the NRO Palin interview, during which the former governor revealed that she was looking at the race to decide whether to make and endorsement.

Today we can relay the information that no meeting between Rubio and Ms. Palin is likely to take place when she in in the Sunshine State next Tuesday. She will make three stops in Florida that day, which doesn't leave much time for meetings. But Rubio is still hoping for that endorsement.

In an interview with Fox News, a Rubio campaign spokesman focused on the similarities between the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate and his boss:

"There are a lot of things that Marco admires of her, There are a lot of things that they agree on." Communications Director Alex Burgos said in an interview with Fox News on Saturday. "He'd be honored to have her support of him."

Burgos said both Palin and Rubio have comparable ideological positions and both had similar philosophies in their respective elected positions.

"They have both been reformers in their political career," Burgos said. "They both opposed the stimulus. They are both strongly pro-life."

We see another thing the two have in common. Sarah Palin was considered the underdog in the 2006 gubernatorial race in Alaska, both in the Republican primary and in the general election. She won both races handily. Rubio, who was trailing Crist in polls by twenty points last August and by forty in January, is now behind by only ten points. If the trend continues, he may win the primary in a Palin-style upset. 

- JP

Does John McCain Need Some Palin Power?

According to Bill Kristol says J.D. Hayworth has come out of nowhere to mount a serious challenge to the GOP's 2008 presidential candidate in his home state:

The new Rasmussen poll for the 2010 Arizona GOP Primary — John McCain 45%, J. D. Hayworth 43% — will generate a fair amount of buzz. But August is a long way away, and I assume that when McCain gets back to Arizona and campaigns, he’ll pull it out.

Still, who could help McCain beat back a populist conservative challenger? Sarah Palin.

Kristol predicts that Juan's former running mate will campaign for him in Arizona and help him save his Senate seat. Allahpundit isn't so sure that McCain would be able to get over himself enough to ask for her help:

I’m sure she’d do it too, not only as a favor to Johnny Mac but because endorsing him over a “true conservative” blunts the media narrative that she’s severed all ties to the center. So why do I think it’s not going to happen? Because I suspect it’d be awfully hard for a mavericky Maverick to swallow his pride and ask for the support of someone who’s loved by his constituents in a way he’ll never be.

Pulling McCain's sorry butt out of hte fire would also allow Sarah palin to square accounts with McCain. She wouldn't owe him a thing after that.

Meanwhile, back east in Florida, Marco Rubio has no such ego problem. He's already made it know that he would welcome a Palin endorsement. Not so for his primary opponent Gov. Charlie Crist, however:

But instead of hitching himself to a rising star in the GOP base, Crist simply noted Palin's apparent lack of interest in the race. Her support "hasn't been offered," he said when asked if he would welcome her backing.

Pressed whether he'd accept the endorsement if Palin offered it, Crist declined to answer, shutting the door of his SUV and driving off.

Sorry, Charlie Tuna. We think you know that you'll never be star-kissed.

- JP

Will Sarah Palin Endorse Marco Rubio?

In Sarah Palin's interview with NRO Tuesday with Rich Lowry and Robert Costa, the GOP primary battle for a U.S. Senate seat was one of the topics which was discussed:

She suggests, meanwhile, that there might be encouraging news coming Marco Rubio’s way. She says she’s had a chance to look at the Crist-Rubio race “just on the surface.” But she adds, “I’m just being asked about it really in the last week or two, so I’ll dig more into it. I’ll find out what the guys are holding in terms of positions and see where maybe I can help.

Given the 2008 Republican party vice presidential candidate's announced intention to campaign for conservative candidates it would seem that Marco Rubio would be more likely to get a Palin endorsement than Charlie Crist, Ms. Palin's former Republican Governors Association colleague.

If former Governor Palin does endose Rubio, The Palm Beach Post's Michael Bender observes that it could further widen the rift between the McCain and Palin camps:

Keep in mind that her 2008 running mate, John McCain, has endorsed Crist. And with the McCain & Palin camps already trading blows in the wake of the former Alaska governor’s Going Rogue biography, imagine the potential sideshow a proxy fight could set off if Palin lines up behind Rubio...

We don't think it would be a sideshow. It sounds to us more like the main attraction.

- JP

Rubio says he would welcome an endorsement from Sarah Palin

From The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Jordan Fabian reports that Florida Senate hopeful Marco Rubio would be happy to have the endorsement of 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin:

The conservative insurgent candidate challenging Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.) said that Palin's endorsement would be more than appropriate because they agree on nearly every issue.

"I can't think of anything her and I disagree with off the top of my head," he told CBS News in an interview.

The former governor of Alaska has not yet endorsed a candidate in Florida's Republican Senate primary race. According to The Fix's Chris Cillizza, Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton has said that it's way too early for the former governor to be making any primary endorsements, and her focus is on her nearing Going Rogue book tour and a number of high profile media appearances.

In the Florida contest for a U.S. Senate seat, Gov. Charlie Crist is the GOP establishment candidate, with backing from the National Republican Senatorial Committee. But Rubio, with the support of grassroots conservative activists, has emerged as a serious challenger to the moderate Crist.

More from the CBS News Rubio interview here.

- JP

Conservative, Baby Conservative: The Meaning of NY-23

- By Thomas Lamb

This race was a political long-shot and Doug Hoffman, when you consider the dynamics of the race, did an outstanding job.

The same pundits who wrote Christie off, will be the same ones talking how the conservative movement is not "real" and offering the Hoffman election as proof the conservative movement and Palin as a losing platform/ride.

If that is the case, then Christie would have lost, because he ran on a conservative platform. The same conservative platform played out in Virgina.

And Obama campaigned in the races, Palin didn't...

As I stated here on this website, A Gentle Reminder to Sarah Palin: Marco Rubio...

On the face, this kid has it.

If he has no issues, this kid can win easily.

As for comments I made on the race being the testing ground for conservatives?

I still hold to the belief below on the Flordia Republican senate primary race being the testing ground for conservatives, but the New York race with Hoffman has added some interest in that it could become the catalyst in the conservative movement.

You have to hand it to the bigwigs within the Republican party. They know how to run a duplicitous campaign on smaller government.

It should be obvious now, that the Republican machine does not care about the message, it cares about winning.

Case in point, the Senate Republican primary that is unfolding in Florida.

Here you have the idiot Crist talking about how great the stimulus package is and wanting to become the senator of Florida under the Republican party banner.

Moreover, for the moment, you have a brand new poll showing the conservative losing to Crist.

But wait, is that a good sign? Not for the Republican party. The reason the Republican party is at odds right now is because it has no clear message.

It is being viewed as a duplicitous party. How can it be a party of smaller government when its bigwigs are pulling in behind Crist.

Just recently, a Gallup poll is showing the republicans making gains on the democrats. And Rasmussen has had gains at dead even between the parties, while the pundits continue to banter about how the republicans have to move from the right in order to win.

Given another poll done in February, on how independents view the stimulus package, I think Crist may be barking up the wrong tree when he is boasting about the benefits of the stimulus package and how he supports it.

As an aside, it would be interesting if Palin's PAC targets Florida and supports the conservative candidate. And even though there was no special election in Illinois, since the Democrats picked Burris, Illinois is setting to be a perfect storm for Palin's PAC, if Palin's PAC moves in on the state.

All in all, Florida will be the testing grounds for the conservative soul and may very well be the testing ground for Palin's PAC.

Call it fantasy politics if you want but it would certainly stir the political pot.

Given the race in New York and the demographics, politically speaking, Florida may still be the place to watch and see if Palin enters the political scene in Florida.

John McCain endorsed Crist and this Senate seat race would be (if an endorsement came in to Rubio)the one to give Palin's PAC its conservative wings.

Call it Going Rogue II: Revenge of the Conservatives

With the conservative movement starting in upstate New York, Florida is setting up to be the battleground for the heart and soul of the conservative movement.

After all, the race will be a closed primary and it will give Rubio time to prove his conservative case.

Not within 30 days like what happened with Hoffman and the rally cry may just be Conservative, Baby Conservative.

- Tom

Editor's note: This was being written after Fox News declared Owens the winner and reports from NY-23 by Stacy McCain.

A Gentle Reminder to Sarah Palin: Marco Rubio

- By Thomas Lamb

On the face, this kid has it.

If he has no issues, this kid can win easily.

As for comments I made on the race being the testing ground for conservatives?

I still hold to the belief below on the Flordia Republican senate primary race being the testing ground for conservatives, but the New York race with Hoffman has added some interest in that it could become the catalyst in the conservative movement.

You have to hand it to the bigwigs within the Republican party. They know how to run a duplicitous campaign on smaller government.

It should be obvious now, that the Republican machine does not care about the message, it cares about winning.

Case in point, the Senate Republican primary that is unfolding in Florida.

Here you have the idiot Crist talking about how great the stimulus package is and wanting to become the senator of Florida under the Republican party banner.

Moreover, for the moment, you have a brand new poll showing the conservative losing to Crist.

But wait, is that a good sign? Not for the Republican party. The reason the Republican party is at odds right now is because it has no clear message.

It is being viewed as a duplicitous party. How can it be a party of smaller government when its bigwigs are pulling in behind Crist.

Just recently, a Gallup poll is showing the republicans making gains on the democrats. And Rasmussen has had gains at dead even between the parties, while the pundits continue to banter about how the republicans have to move from the right in order to win.

Given another poll done in February, on how independents view the stimulus package, I think Crist may be barking up the wrong tree when he is boasting about the benefits of the stimulus package and how he supports it.

As an aside, it would be interesting if Palin's PAC targets Florida and supports the conservative candidate. And even though there was no special election in Illinois, since the Democrats picked Burris, Illinois is setting to be a perfect storm for Palin's PAC, if Palin's PAC moves in on the state.

All in all, Florida will be the testing grounds for the conservative soul and may very well be the testing ground for Palin's PAC.

Call it fantasy politics if you want but it would certainly stir the political pot.

Given the race in New York and the demographics, politically speaking, Florida may still be the place to watch and see if Palin enters the political scene in Florida.

John McCain endorsed Crist and this Senate seat race would be (if an endorsement came in to Rubio) the one to give Palin's PAC its conservative wings.

Call it Going Rogue II: Revenge of the Conservatives

Related Threads:

New Developments Within the Florida GOP

John McCain is Crazy: He Endorses Crist

- Tom